


Star Wars IX (Alternate Ending)

by PAX_ARTVRIVS



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:55:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28077309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PAX_ARTVRIVS/pseuds/PAX_ARTVRIVS
Summary: An better ending to the one we got for the Star Wars universe. Set during the end of Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker, this is 'my ending' that I thought I would write down and share with everyone. I was not particularly pleased with Star Wars IX and I thought it should of went way different than it did.Synopsis: Ben is fading to the Force while a helpless Rey watches. A visit from a powerful Jedi helps Rey discover that the Force is more powerful than she originally believed. A happy ending!
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Star Wars IX (Alternate Ending)

Ben fell to the ground with a hard thud. His body was like a huge weight. Saving Rey had zapped Ben of all his strength. Using the Force in that way--to save someone from death-- came at a high price. Plus, the fighting against his comrades, his enemies, and the Emperor had taken its toll. Ben fell into a black abyss. His memories melding with his dreams. 

“Ben?” Rey’s voice called out to him. He made no response. Panicking, Rey shook him. She could tell, no, she could sense what was happening. Ben was fading away. All that he had done to help destroy the Empire, the Emperor, and save her life; helping to restore the balance to the Force was claiming his life. 

“Ben, please stay here,” Rey begged. She placed her hand gently on his forehead. It was cold to the touch. He was still and pale. Dead. 

“Ben.” Rey choked. She could feel tears burning her eyes. Anger, sadness, and pain all intermingled in her heart. She felt the dark side of the Force raging against the injustice, it was mocking her and her choice to remain in the light. If only she had chosen the dark side, Ben would still be with her. Rey began to cry. She knew it was foolish to go down that road. What happened, had to happen. It was the will of the Force. 

Rey had no energy. She couldn’t use the Force to revive him. With tears streaming down her face, she reached out once more to stroke Ben’s hair. He was slowly fading, his physical body disappearing. He looked so peaceful like this. A small smile was still on his lips from their first kiss. 

“There is still time, Rey.” A sudden voice spoke out to her. Rey recognized it as Leia’s voice. Turning her head, she saw Leia’s astral Force body glowing brightly behind her. 

“Leia.” Rey breathed quietly. She stood up and faced the spirit woman before her. To her surprise, Leia looked thirty years younger. She looked closer to Ben’s and Rey’s age. Leia was wearing a white flowing dress and her once silver hair was now a dark brown, braided into spiral buns on her head. Leia, who would always be both Princess and General, stood smiling gently at her.

“What do I need to do?” Rey asked. She was still crying. Leia’s ghost came closer to her, reaching out to firmly grasp her on the arm. Shocked, Rey jumped a little but remained where she was. The Force and those who used it could do unspeakable and miraculous things. Even beyond the grave, the Force gave power and ability to those who knew how to use it. Death was only an illusion. 

Leia smirked. Her eyes shone brightly as she guessed Rey’s thoughts.

“You have learned so much. But there is one thing that you haven’t figured out.” Leia said.

Confused, Rey asked, “What is it? I thought I learned everything I needed to become a Jedi…”

Leia laughed. “No, there is still so much for you to learn. And to become. But there will be time for that later. But now it is time to help Ben.”

Rey shook her head, then pointed to Ben’s pale lifeless body. It was almost gone now. Soon nothing but his clothes and lightsaber would be left. “He’s gone. I can't do anything.” Rey whispered.

It was Leia’s turn to shake her head. “Listen, Rey. You know only a fraction of what the Force can do. It is all about how you see the Force and how it can be used. There is no universal law to it. The Force just is. It is the energy of everything in the universe and beyond.”

Rey nodded. She was still confused. “Yes, I know that. But the Force needs to be balanced. Ben gave his life for mine. I was dead and gone. It's an equal exchange.”

Leia shook her head slowly. “Not so. Look at it this way. The Force is the energy of all things--you used it to heal Ben, but you used your life force to do so. There are great consequences when you use the Force in this way. Ben used all his life force to resurrect yours--at the cost of his own. The thing that both of you missed was that you could have pulled that energy from anywhere. Anywhere and everywhere. You could have used all of the life around you--and siphon off a little bit of energy from everything around you to heal each other.” 

Rey’s eyes widened in shock. Suddenly everything made sense to her. Rey was not only a part of the Force--the Force was a part of her--and all living things. To resurrect Ben, she only needed to call upon the energy of the Force. The energy of the universe itself to use. There was no exchange. The Force just existed harmoniously--life and death were equals. 

“Leia, teach me what I am supposed to do,” Rey asked. She looked back at Ben’s body. They didn’t have much time left.

“Close your eyes and just breathe. When you are ready, ask all the things around you to help you. Feel the vibrations and energies of the universe--channel that into Ben’s body. The Force will help you.” Leia instructed gently. 

Quickly, Rey kneeled beside Ben’s fading body; reaching out she placed her hand on his chest. She couldn’t feel anything, only air. Rey tried not to think about it but instead tried to do as Leia instructed. Closing her eyes, Rey began to breathe slowly. She was always good at the physical side of the Jedi training. However, the spiritual stuff was a completely different story. Rey found it hard to grasp the Force in a way that wasn’t used as a weapon or as an emotional response to a threat or enemy.

“Focus.” She heard Leia say quietly. “You are like a lightning rod. Call the energy to you--and let it flow through you.”

Rey didn’t answer her. She was too absorbed in what she needed to do. Rey could feel the Force around her. She heard murmurs and voices of countless beings who were long gone and those whose life still didn’t exist. If she wasn’t careful, Rey could get lost in the Force. It was like a deep, neverending ocean.

Breathing in slowly, she told herself to do as Leia asked. With her mind, she felt out around her--the Force was buzzing with energy. She silently asked for assistance. And as if to answer her, the Force hummed and began to reach towards her. Being able to use the Force was a very incredible yet intimate experience. Going with her intuition, she reached out with her other hand, open palm to the sky. Rey felt the Force touch her fingers and move gently down her arm towards her shoulders and her heart. She shivered for a moment at the raw power of it all.

“Good. Now channel it to Ben. Let the Force guide you. It knows what to do.” Leia instructed once more. Breathing in, Rey focused on guiding the Force to her other hand. She thought of Ben as she tried to act as a funnel for all the energy. Suddenly, she felt the Force move down her other arm which rested on Ben’s heart. Her fingertips began tingling as the Force left her to go to him. Leia was right, she was like a lightning rod. 

Suddenly, Rey felt the beating of Ben’s heart against her hand. Shocked and surprised, Rey’s eyes flew open, and she gazed in wonder at what happened. Ben, who she thought was gone forever, now lay beside her. He was solid and as real as anything could be. Ben’s breath came out slowly and evenly, his lips parted slightly. His eyes were closed as if he was still dead. Rey, not being able to contain her joy anymore, moved her arm to stroke his face. 

“Ben,” Rey called out to him. Her voice shook slightly. She was nervous and excited all at once.

Ever so slowly, Ben opened his eyes. It was as if he was waking up from a dream. His dark brown eyes looked up and gazed into Rey’s shining eyes. Rey was trying hard not to cry again. Ben’s face softened and his eyes twinkled for a moment. Gone was the hatred and anger of Kylo Ren. Ben’s face was soft and sad.

Reaching up slowly, Ben touched Rey’s face. His fingers trailing gently across her cheek as he wiped a tear that had fallen unbeknownst to Rey. 

“You saved me. Rey.” Ben’s deep voice breathed. He was quiet. But Rey knew, through their Force bond that Ben was feeling so much more. She could feel his gratitude and love pour out to her. She smiled. 

“It wasn’t just me. Look. Someone else is here.” Rey said and she moved out of the way to point to Leia who was smiling.  
“Mom?” Ben said. He sounded like a kid. There were tears in his eyes. He sat up trying to move closer to Leia.

“Yes, Ben. I came here to help you and Rey. I wanted to say that I love you. And I always will. And so does your father.”

Ben made a choking noise. Rey knew that Leia’s words both hurt and healed him. Ben would never forgive himself for killing his father. Or helping to destroy his mother. Rey knew this. Reaching out slowly, she placed her hand on his shoulder. She was there for him.

Leia’s smile turned sad for a moment. But then it changed back to one of kindness and understanding. Leia moved closer to Ben and touched him gently on the head. Tears rolled down Ben's cheeks and he ducked his head to hide a sob.

“Let go, Ben. Let it all go and be free.” Leia said. She looked at Rey then and she addressed them both, “Go where the Force takes you. And may it always be with you.” 

Then Leia disappeared. Rey and Ben were alone in the dark cave of the Siths. They were silent for some moments, letting the last few events sink in. They were free. Both of them. 

“Ben, it's time to go," Rey said in the silence. Ben looked over at her. Questions forming in his head.

“Let’s just get to the Falcon, then we will decide what to do next,” Rey answered.

Ben nodded. They both stood up and dusted themselves off. Then grabbing each other’s hand, they walked out of the Sith cave. Not looking back. Only forward. From now on, whatever they faced, they faced it together. They were the two that were one.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy!


End file.
